Leaving Utah for Washington, Michael Young says Mormonism taught him to embrace diversity

Raymond Tymas-Jones and James Jardine (right) unveil the portrait of President Michael Young at the University of Utah. June 9, 2008.

Michael Brandy, Deseret News archives

Summary

Leaning back in his red armchair, Michael K. Young is the picture of a university president who has been in one place long enough to get comfortable.

Leaning back in his red armchair, Michael K. Young is the picture of a university president who has been in one place long enough to get comfortable.

There along his shelf are the signed footballs, representing the school's Bowl Championship Series victories. On the walls hang bright-red school paraphernalia. His desk is scattered with tokens of his seven-year tenure.

As comfortable as Young is at the University of Utah, he's leaving it all behind. Soon, as the new president of the University of Washington, Young will be in a different state, surrounded by different school colors, trying to find the same level of comfort.

After all, the recently remarried Young already faces skepticism of his Mormon faith. His religious affiliation triggered recent debate on The Seattle Times' website. One commenter wrote, "Any leader who professes a strong belief in religious hocus-pocus, dreamed up by those who thought the earth was flat, and was the center of the universe, (is) not fit to (lead)." Others were more positive toward his faith, "I have many Mormon friends and am blessed I do."

Along with Gordon Gee, the president of the Ohio State University, and Veldon Lane Rawlins, the president of the University of North Texas and former president of Washington State University, Young will be one of three Mormon academics who run public universities outside Utah.

Rawlins, a three-time university president, says a little religious prejudice is nothing new. "There have been a couple of institutions in my lifetime that have actually expressed reservations about hiring me because I was a Mormon. I'm pretty sure there was an offer I didn't get because of that," Rawlins said. Despite this, Rawlins believes the principles he learned in church were tremendous assets throughout his career in academic administration.

Young concurred, adding that his religion is a fundamental part of who he is.

And that's what some are leery of, claiming that Young's faith and ties to the Bush administration will alienate UW's Seattle base.

Another commenter on The Seattle Times' website even wrote, "All Mormons support bigotry. Michael Young is a Mormon. So, Michael Young supports bigotry."

Rawlins rebutted this logic. "After all, the greatest commandment is very closely related to judge not," Rawlins said. "When you're the president of a large public institution, it is not your job to determine the values and lifestyles of everyone there."

Young agreed and said that his membership in the LDS Church has taught him to embrace diversity, "Not only accepting, but reveling in our differences is a profound part of our religion,"

It has also been a profound part of Young's career. He spent some 25 years of his life studying religious freedom issues, including a six-year stint as commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. All of these experiences, secular and spiritual, have planted within Young a deep passion for championing diversity.

Yet, that's not all Young has learned from his faith.

"There are also very profound dimensions of my religion that push me to try to help others, and what I mean by that in the university setting is create environments where people can really realize their full potential," he said.

Pausing, he added, "That's what great universities do, help other people."

It's a lesson Young learned when he was young. His father taught him that creating jobs and fostering economic development were important ways of helping people.

Popular Comments

Being an active Mormon has cost me several university offers, one even in Utah.
On the other side of the coin it gave me an advantage in a college where the
faculty was 40% Jewish, they just introduced me to their families as a cousin
form the tribe
More..

8:27 a.m. June 14, 2011

Top comment

79Ute

Orange County, CA

"Another commenter on The Seattle Times' website even wrote, 'All Mormons
support bigotry. Michael Young is a Mormon. So, Michael Young supports
bigotry.'" What a hypocritical, bigoted comment! The commentator needs to
come in out of the
More..

12:24 a.m. June 14, 2011

Top comment

Nan BW

ELder, CO

This is a well written article with many thoughtful observations from the
leaders discussed.